Things have not gone to plan once again for João Félix, failing to impress on loan at AC Milan and now once again finding himself in career limbo (despite a long-term Chelsea contract at his disposal). Six years ago, he had the world at his feet. Four clubs later, it’s starting to look less and less likely that we’ll ever witness his greatness again.
Could a return back to where it all started help him rediscover that magic? According to Record, the his boyhood club, Benfica have now started negotiations with Chelsea over a potential loan — they were first linked several weeks back — with the Félix said to be extremely interested in the move. Benfica, who will be at the Club World Cup, want to secure his signing before the tournament starts.
That may be a great option for him and perhaps Benfica, but Chelsea would rather not deal with another series of endless loans, and would like to arrange a transfer. We have set a price of €30m plus bonuses, according to Bruno Andrade (via CNN Portugal). Whether Benfica would be willing to meet those demands is questionable, at best.
Félix is at a very critical point in his career. He is set to turn 26 this year, and Benfica are the only European club that have been linked with him, with the rest of the interest coming from South America and Saudi Arabia. Hopefully, a compromise is reached to facilitate a move back to his homeland, in what may be the last opportunity for him to salvage the sort of career that was once envisioned for him.
Benfica are trying to sign Joao Felix on loan. They could be an opponent for Chelsea at the Club World Cup
— Jacob Steinberg ️ (@JacobSteinberg) June 2, 2025